The Islanders organization announced upsetting news on Wednesday that defenseman Johnny Boychuk ended his career due to an injury during the previous season.

Boychuk, 36, was on the Islanders’ roster for most of the 2019-20 season. However, he suffered a dramatic eye injury in the third period of a March game against the Montreal Canadiens. While playing in front of his own net, he took a skate to the face from Canadiens forward Artturi Lehkonen inside the crease. The skate came dangerously close to his eye, and Boychuk fell awkwardly and immediately went to the dressing room.

After receiving stitches to the face, Boychuk didn’t play another minute for the rest of the shortened regular season. However, after the prolonged pause of the COVID-19 pandemic, he returned to the ice and joined the Islanders to the Toronto and Edmonton bubbles for the postseason. Although he missed most of the postseason after sustaining another injury during game one of the team’s Qualifier against the Florida Panthers, he returned to the ice for the final two games of the Eastern Conference Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Although he hoped he could continue playing, Johnny Boychuk’s career is over after a valiant comeback effort.

Boychuk, emotional about the news, said Wednesday, “When somebody tells you you can’t play again, or you shouldn’t, it’s really tough.” When asked about the injury, Boychuk said, “I knew there was something going on but I didn’t want to think about it because I wanted to play. You try to play through everything.”

However, Boychuk is not formally retiring due to his injury. Although he didn’t formally retire, Boychuk is simply hanging the skates up. As a result, according to Arthur Staple, he will be placed on long term injured reserve for the remainder of his contract until the offseason of 2022. The pending move will clear six million dollars in cap space for the Islanders moving forward.

Boychuk’s career began with the Colorado Avalanche, where he played four games in the 2007-08 season. After an offseason trade to the Boston Bruins, he emerged as an NHL defenseman. He spent six seasons in Boston, and he was a contributor with 19 goals and 56 points, and he was a member of several strong teams. With his efforts at the blue line, the Bruins won the 2011 Stanley Cup title and made another Stanley Cup Final run in 2013.

In 2014, the Islanders swung a deal with the Bruins to acquire Boychuk via trade, and he was sent to the Islanders for three second-round picks. Once he arrived on Long Island, Boychuk enjoyed a career season with nine goals and 26 assists for 35 points. He immediately became a staple to the new look Islander defense, and the team awarded his efforts with a contract extension. In February of that season, Boychuk signed a seven-year extension worth $42 million, $6 million average, and he remained a fan favorite for his run with the team. In his six seasons with the club, Boychuk tallied 35 goals and 96 helpers for 131 points as an Islander. Although Boychuk’s production declined as the years went on, Boychuk had a strong Islanders career and will be missed by the team and its fans.

Matthew Page

I am a first year student at Hofstra University and an avid Islanders fan. I have been writing for Drive4Five since March 2020. My family has been season ticket holders for the team since 2016, and hockey is my favorite sport. As I expand my knowledge in the field of Journalism, I am writing to express my love for the Islanders and the NHL.